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Penalties upheld for defendants involved in state overthrowing attempt and airport terror

5/6/18

The High-level People’s Court in Hanoi on June 4 upheld the sentences for four defendants found guilty of “trying to overthrow the people’s administration” at trial two months ago.

The court reviewed the ruling against Pham Van Troi (born in 1972 and residing in Chuong Duong commune of Thuong Tin district, Hanoi), Nguyen Trung Ton (born in 1972 and residing in Quang Yen commune of Quang Xuong district, Thanh Hoa province), Nguyen Bac Truyen (born in 1968 and residing in Ward 4 of District 4, Ho Chi Minh City) and Truong Minh Duc (born in 1960 and residing in Vinh Thuan town of Vinh Thuan district, Kien Giang province).

The judges found that the defendants’ testimony before and after the trial was consistent and matched the evidence. Accordingly, Pham Van Troi, Nguyen Trung Ton, Nguyen Bac Truyen and Nguyen Van Dai (born in 1969 and residing in Bach Khoa ward of Hai Ba Trung district, Hanoi) were the founding members of “Hoi anh em dan chu” (Brotherhood for Democracy), which was led by Dai.

This organisation was set up on April 24, 2013 and was found to have conducted many forms of propaganda against the State of Vietnam, been connected with foreign organisations and persons to seek funding for its activities and taken advantage of political events and sensitive issues to incite people to protest against the administration.

In the first trial in early April, Nguyen Van Dai was sentenced to 15 years in prison and will be under house arrest for five years after the prison term finishes. Pham Van Troi will spend seven years behind bars and one year under house arrest. Nguyen Trung Ton and Truong Minh Duc received a jail sentence of 12 years and three years of house arrest each.  Nguyen Bac Truyen got an 11-year sentence and three years on house arrest. Le Thu Ha (born in 1982 and residing in Dong Giang ward of Dong Ha city, Quang Tri province), who was also involved in the organisation, will serve nine years in prison and two years house arrest.

Nguyen Van Dai and Le Thu Ha accepted their sentences. Pham Van Troi also pled guilty but appealed for leniency and the three others pled not guilty.

At the appeal trial, the judging panel found that the appeals filed by Nguyen Trung Ton, Nguyen Bac Truyen and Truong Minh Duc were groundless.

It added the seven-year imprisonment for Pham Van Troi is appropriate as the first-instance court already reduced his punishment because he had given testimony sincerely, shown repentance and left “Hoi anh em dan chu” in May 2016.

The first-instance court made a precise assessment of the case’s seriousness and the nature of each defendant’s behaviour while fully considering aggravating and mitigating factors for each defendant, the judges noted.


Meanwhile, the High-level People’s Court in Ho Chi Minh City on June 5 decided to uphold sentences against 14 out of 16 defendants who had appealed in the case involved in a terrorism plot targeting Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

The defendants were given imprisonment sentences ranging from five to 16 years on the charge of “terrorism against the people’s administration” according to Article 84 of the Penal Code 1999.

According to the court, the defendants failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove their innocence. 

They had been enticed by reactionary elements abroad to engage in activities against the administration and the people, such as spreading false and distorted information on social networks, participating in demonstrations, inciting others to join demonstrations and conduct terrorism acts, recruiting members for reactionary organisations and making weapons. 

These acts are particularly serious, endangering society and infringing upon national security as well as public health and assets, the verdict said.

After the first-instance trial of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court on December 27, 2017, 14 out of the 16 defendants appealed.

The court sentenced Dang Hoang Thien, born in 1992, residing in HCM City, to 16 years in prison for his main role in making and planting petrol bombs at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCM City on April 22, 2017, and his involvement in setting fire to the warehouse of Bien Hoa city police in the southern province of Dong Nai on April 8, 2017.

Nguyen Duc Sinh (born in 1985 in central Quang Ngai province), the instigator of the April arson attack on Bien Hoa city police’s warehouse, was given 10 years in jail. 

At the appeal trial, both Thien and Sinh admitted their offences. Thien appealed for a reduced penalty./.
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All comments [ 4 ]


yobro yobro 5/6/18 22:28

They took advantage of fighting for “democracy, human rights” and “civil society” to conceal the purposes of “Hoi anh em dan chu” in conducting propaganda against the State.

Kevin Evans 5/6/18 22:38

The activities of the defendants were especially dangerous as they have affected directly the existence of the people’s administration, therefore, harsh punishments needed to be given to them.

For A Peace World 5/6/18 22:40

The defendants had been enticed by reactionary elements abroad to engage in activities against the administration and the people, such as spreading false and distorted information on social networks, participating in demonstrations, recruiting members for reactionary organisations and making weapons.

Duncan 5/6/18 22:45

All terror activities must be punish in accordance with the law and those terrorists should be aware of that.

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